Above: Playbill advertising the World Wrestling Champion.Below: first from bottom - in the role of the legendary Monkey King. Second from bottom: on the screen with actress and dancer, Helen. Third from bottom: with his wife.
Sports
Dara Singh - Arnold's Forerunner
by IANS
As a world wrestling champion, a movie star and a politician, he foreshadowed Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Dara Singh, who turns 80 on November 19, 2008, says after starring in over 120 films that the big screen was never his aspiration.
"I was never interested in doing films. I was pulled into the industry because of the fame I received from wrestling. I was forced to do King Kong (1962) and it became a hit and that started my film career," said Dara Singh .
"But I made it clear to the filmmakers at that time that my main concern was my wrestling career and I would not compromise on that. They agreed. However, after beating American wrestler Lou Thesz in the 1960s and becoming a world champion, I started concentrating on my film career."
Dara Singh said he never wanted to play a negative role.
"The only thing I never wanted to do and have not done so far is playing a villain. I was always adamant to do positive roles and I also made it clear to the filmmakers that I will not accept a villain's role," he said.
Not many know that prior to starring in Babubhai Mistri's King Kong, Dara Singh had done cameos in films like Sangdil (1952), Pehli Jhalak (1955) and Jagga Daku (1959).
Born in 1928 in Amritsar, Punjab, Dara Singh is credited to be the first hero in Bollywood to bring the machismo appeal on-screen with his well-built body.
Commenting upon that, he said: "It felt good to be the first macho actor as my colleagues at that time were very thin and lanky. No one had a body like mine."
Much like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Hollywood, Dara Singh's career, too, rose because of his body, landing him roles in hero-centric films like Rustam-E-Baghdad (1963), Faulad (1963), Hercules (1964), Tarzan Dilli Mein (1965), Sikander-E-Azam (1965), Rustom-E-Hind (1965), and Boxer (1965), among others.
After 1970, he forayed into direction and directed six films in Hindi and Punjabi - Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar (1970), Mera Desh Mera Dharam (1973), Bhakti Mein Shakti (1978) and Rustom (1982) among them.
Dara Singh has been immortalized among younger viewers for his portrayal of the monkey king Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's TV adaptation of the epic Ramayan (1986).
On being asked what keeps him going, he quipped: "One should keep working. Otherwise, you grow old."
Dara Singh was also seen on TV in programmes like Had Kar Di and Kya Hoga Nimmo Ka. Right now, though, he doesn't have any plan to go back to the small screen.
"TV demands a lot of time and is too tiring. I won't do any TV now. That way, I am better off playing a grandfather or some other role in a film or two," he said.
Dara Singh still picks up roles that he "feels like doing."
He was also upbeat about new actors working out in the gym for a muscular look.
"New actors want to be like Salman Khan, so they hit the gym for a body like his, which is good for them. At least, they stay fit that way. But they should not consume any body supplements, which in the long run harms the body," he suggested.
So how did Dara Singh maintain his body in his prime?
"In those days, we used to maintain ourselves by a healthy diet that included milk, homemade butter, almonds and chicken soup," he replied.
On his birthday, Dara Singh only planned to spend time with his family. He said he was "content with whatever I have done in life."
"I've done everything in life. In fact, I have also worked with everyone from thespians like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor to the new league of actors."
[Trivia: Dara Singh became the wrestling champion of India before winning the World Championship Crown. Later in life, he, too, dabbled in politics - though he is not to be confused with another "Dara Singh," a Hindu fundamentalist who adopted the actor's macho name and was, not too long ago, convicted for the murder of some Christian missionaries in India.]
November 20, 2008
Conversation about this article
1: Ranjeet (Southampton, U.K.), November 20, 2008, 12:20 PM.
A great guy! My grandad used to tell me stories about him. He said that his chacha once wrestled with him ... but lost. He was the greatest!
2: Sukhdev Singh Shergill (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), November 20, 2008, 11:05 PM.
The old timers of various races in Malaysia remember him as he had been to Malaysia to wrestle. I have seen some of his Punjabi films too. Commendable. But what has he done, considering his influence and reach, for Sikhi and Sikhs?
3: Sarjit Singh Khalsa (London, England), June 11, 2009, 7:20 AM.
It is time for Dara Singh to form a "Buddha Dal" and do something for our community!
4: Iqbal Singh (Ludhiana, Punjab), July 14, 2009, 12:02 AM.
Dara Singh is the greatest wrestler of all times. I met him in Bombay at his home. He treated us like a family member. He answered our questions like a grandfather. Undoubtedly, he is great. I grade him above Arnold, but it's a pity there are no videos of his wrestling matches.
5: Suneel Jain (India), August 31, 2009, 3:18 AM.
Dara Singh is great. I liked his screen depiction of Hanuman very much.
6: Shiva (Canada), January 16, 2010, 11:43 PM.
Hi, Mr. Dara Singh: I am Shiva. I am 8 years old. I live in Canada. I love you. My mom and dad told me about you. I wll try to come to India and I really want to see you. If i see you, I will live happily for rest of my life. That's my dream to meet a hero of his time and a great wrestler and a handsome man. You are still handsome for me, no matter how old you are. I still like you and I respect you and love you. You are the same hero for me. These are my words written by my mom. I am telling my mom and she is typing it for me. With love ...
7: Bhikhu Patel (England), March 04, 2010, 10:23 AM.
Having just turned 60, reading about Dara Singh brought back a lot of good memories. I was only 12 years old when I saw him and other wrestlers training near my school in Nairobi. At that time, he was my real hero. My friends and I saw all his films. I wish him good health.
8: Deepankar Chakraborty (Hyderabad, India), July 28, 2010, 8:31 PM.
We in India are really proud to have a son like you and would ever remember you as long as the world exists.
9: Lawrence Hari Narayan (Suva, Fiji Islands), September 08, 2010, 1:10 AM.
Dear Uncle Dara Singh ji: I am 64 and have watched all your films in my younger days. In the 1960's, we used to pay 10 cents for a Saturday matinee and people of all races used to come and watch your films as they not only liked your wresting style but also your acting with your wonderful physique compared to other main actors. We sincerely respect you for your stand not to act in negative roles. I suppose that summarizes the beauty of your character as we believe your are a gentleman and a role model for mankind.
10: Vijay Pratap Singh Vashisht (Himanchal, India), October 04, 2010, 2:49 PM.
Sir, I am a very big fan of you. Where can I find out about your exercise and workout regime?
11: Karandeep Singh (Delhi, India), November 23, 2010, 1:41 AM.
You are a LEGEND!
12: Atul Chaudhary (Bulandshahr, India), April 21, 2011, 6:10 AM.
Sir, I'm a big fan of yours. I saw you once in Meerut. I'm proud of you because you are a Sikh.
13: Ari Singh (Sofia, Bulgaria), September 20, 2011, 12:48 PM.
I am proud of you. I have seen most of your films. I have also seen your brother, Sardara Singh, wrestling in Mombasa, Kenya, when he beat Ray Apolon of U.S.A. I am glad that you never did a villain's role because goodness and charisma shines off you. My Armenian friend from Lebanon was also a fan of yours. So we had something in common. You and Dharmendra were the only macho stars of Bollywood in those days. When I studied in Kerala, I noticed that the morale of the young people in India was lifted with your achievements. God bless you.
14: Girish G. Nair (Mumbai, India), October 30, 2011, 1:39 PM.
Undoubtedly the best in the world - character-wise and professional wise. We all love you and would like you to get well soon. I would like to meet my hero some day.
15: Amninder (Canada), June 27, 2012, 7:45 PM.
Sat Sri Akal, Dara Singh ji: I am a big fan of yours. I was born in Malaysia. I used to hear a lot about you from my father about when you used to wrestle in Singapore back in the early 50s. Hope to meet you someday. My father's name is S. Teja Singh. Maybe, it'll jog a memory around your visits to Malaysian and Singapore.
16: Narasimha K. Murthy (Bangalore , India), July 10, 2012, 3:35 AM.
I like you, Dara Singh ji - you are India's original wrestler! Hope you'll get well soon.
17: Dhanesh R. Nair (Trivandrum, India), July 10, 2012, 2:31 PM.
God bless you, Dara Singh ji. The whole country is praying for your recovery - so that you will regain the health of Hanuman, Sir.
18: Vikram Gulati (New Delhi, India), July 12, 2012, 12:28 AM.
A great son of the soil has passed away after spreading his light of joy. He touched the hearts of almost everybody he met. The Rustam-e-Hind, he was the undefeated world champion till he left wrestling to take up a career in films. May he rest in peace.
19: Yogesh Bansal (Panipat, India), July 12, 2012, 1:56 AM.
Dara Singh ji, Prabhu ji ne aakhir aapko bula hi liya!
20: Jay Love (India), July 12, 2012, 7:39 AM.
Hmmey unka hanuman ka role bahut pasand hai.
21: Sankar Chowdhury (Kolkata, India), July 12, 2012, 7:58 AM.
Dara Singh ji, aapke bina Ramayana adhura hai.
22: Sarvan (Agra, India), July 12, 2012, 8:50 AM.
I salute S. Dara Singh ji, the great wrestler!
23: Jaspal Singh (Faridabad, India), July 12, 2012, 10:34 AM.
It's very sad to hear that Dara Singh is no more with us. The greatest of wrestler and a real champion, he continues to live in our hearts. May Waheguru bless him and give him peace.